April 27, 2009

A Story with Legs

I really can't believe the legs the Notre Dame scandal has had. It's as if some sort of tipping point has been reached, the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. The remarks of many of the bishops directed toward Fr. Jenkins sound almost New Oxford Reviewian.

I think their patience with the flouting of the hierarchy has, understandably, at last been exhausted. I think there is a new mood in the bishopry in the United States, as shown by one diocese that now imposing the discipline of every Friday being meatless. Perhaps many are becoming more comfortable with the "remnant" idea.

And the latest news is that the "answer" to the Obama invite, the woman who was gonna give ND what for, is bowing out:

I could not help but be dismayed by the news that Notre Dame also planned to award the president an honorary degree. This, as you must know, was in disregard of the U.S. bishops' express request of 2004 that Catholic institutions "should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles" and that such persons "should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions." That request, which in no way seeks to control or interfere with an institution's freedom to invite and engage in serious debate with whomever it wishes, seems to me so reasonable that I am at a loss to understand why a Catholic university should disrespect it.

That last line perfectly mirrors my own confusion. When I first heard the news, it was a WTF moment.

2 comments:

It would have been rewarding to all of us, yet rude, for her to use the moment to offer Notre Dame a piece of her well-honed mind. I would fear a "pearls before swine" response on the part of Notre Dame, the students, the media and, alas, the president.

I am so grateful that such statements as Ms. Glendon's effectively sluice the sludge with her clarity, charity and straightforwardness.

Why this URL?

Why "poncer.blogspot.com"?

PONC is the business acronym for "Price Of Non-Conformance", which basically means putting a price-tag on a screw-up. This from a faddish business book from long ago. We were impressed someone could make money writing lines like "quality is free".

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